Colorado’s Nelson Spruce makes a catch and outruns Hawai’i’s Dee Maggitt (23) in for a touchdown during a game against Hawai’i at Folsom Field in Boulder on Sept. 20, 2014. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

Could there be any doubt that Colorado junior receiver Nelson Spruce is on the minds of California coaches in advance of Saturday’s 2 p.m. meeting (Pac-12 Network) in Berkeley?

Spruce tops the Pac-12 in receptions per game with 9.2 (37 catches in four games) and in receiving yards per game (129.5).

He comes off a career best effort against Hawaii, setting a school record with 13 catches. That included a 71-yard touchdown.

Chidera Uzo-Diribe (96) sacks California quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the fourth quarter of a college football game at Folsom Field in Boulder on Nov. 16, 2013. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

Nobody will know for certain whether California players will come out flat or be fired up until the 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday in Berkeley, but Colorado players and coaches must wonder about the Golden Bears’ frame of mind.

California (2-1, 0-1 Pac-12) blew a 22-point second-half lead at Arizona and lost 49-45 when Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon connected with wide receiver Austin Hill for a 47-yard “Hail Mary” touchdown as time expired.

“There are two ways to go after something like that,” CU defensive coordinator Kent Baer said. “You can go into the tank and say here (a bad season) goes again. Or you get better. And I would assume California is going to get better.”

That’s also what CU sophomore safety Chidobe Awuzie anticipates.

“Those heartbreaking games hurt,” Awuzie said. “So I think they’re going to be fired up on Saturday.”

Chidera Uzo-Diribe (96) sacks California quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the fourth quarter of a college football game at Folsom Field in Boulder on Nov. 16, 2013. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

BOULDER — Following Colorado’s Monday practice, Buffs coach Mike MacIntyre was asked to give an early scouting report on California.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Washington Huskies is congratulated by head coach Mike MacIntyre of the Colorado Buffaloes. (Getty Images file)

A look around the Pac-12 Wednesday morning:

Utah — Sophomore Adam Schulz could be Utes’ quarterback of the future. Starter Travis Wilson’s future is in jeopardy due to concussions and three other quarterbacks are freshmen. Utah hosts Colorado Saturday at noon.

BOULDER — Colorado’s game with visiting California at 3:30 p.m. Saturday is rife with sub-plots. The biggest is the coaching battle between two first-year coaches, Mike MacIntyre and Sonny Dykes.

Both interviewed for the Cal job with MacIntyre meeting Cal officials Nov. 30, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Cal hired Dykes away from Louisiana Tech Dec. 6. Colorado hired MacIntyre away from San Jose State four days later.

“I talked to them but it wasn’t anything really big-time significant,” MacIntyre said at his Tuesday media luncheon. “It’s a great school and a great area. We loved the area. We liked it at San Jose. Those are crazy times when you’re a coach. One night I had five phone calls from five different schools. It’s kind of the way it goes. You don’t know who’s serious when they’re talking to you or not.

“It’s kind of like when I was in high school. I never had five girls call me so I wasn’t used to it.”

BOULDER — Colorado is 3-3, already blessed with as many wins as it had since 2010. Yes, two have come against FCS teams but when it comes to a bowl bid, it doesn’t matter. The NCAA was kind enough to give the Buffaloes a waiver. It’s the least it could do after their Sept. 14 home game with Fresno State was flooded out.

They must go at least 3-3 to earn their first bowl bid since 2007 when Dan Hawkins’ second team lost to Alabama in the Independence Bowl, 30-24.

It’s a long shot. Still, let’s take a look at its remaining schedule:

Arizona (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12), Saturday. The Wildcats are coming off a valiant 35-24 win over Utah and Ka’Deem Carey is already licking his chops. He shredded Colorado’s defense for a school-record 366 yards last year and just rushed for 236 yards against Utah defense that’s better than Colorado’s. Still, if Colorado is going bowling, it must pull an upset here.

Utah wide receiver Sean Fitzgerald is pulled down by Brigham Young defensive back Robertson Daniel in the first quarter of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 in Provo, Utah. (Associated Press file)

USC — Ed Orgeron ready for second stint as head coach, however interim it is. He has learned a lot since going 10-25 at Mississippi from 2005-07. Since returning to USC as defensive line coach in 2010, he has lived in a hotel across the street from campus.

California coach Sonny Dykes, second from right, stands with players on the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Northwestern on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. (Ben Margot, AP)

A look around the Pac-12 Conference Wednesday:

California — Sonny Dykes is turning around the Golden Bears’ awful academic record. Cal’s APR of 935 is better than only four schools in five power conferences. Anything under 930 can result in sanctions. Dykes improved the GPA from 2.44 in the spring of 2012 to 2.74 last spring.

USC — Coach Lane Kiffin announces Cody Kessler will start against Boston College. He is 18-of-32 for 136 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Fellow sophomore Max Wittek is 8-of-18 for 90 yards and an interception. This is the first time this season that Kiffin has announced the starting quarterback before the game.

Oregon State — Coach Mike Riley names junior Sean Mannion starting quarterback He did the same last year and Mannion started 4-0, hurt his knee and watched Cody Vaz, again No. 2, excel. When Mannion played again he looked awful against Washington. But he dramatically cut down on his turnovers in camp.

Arizona State — Tailback Marion Grice (19 TDs in 2012) has become surprise weapon after transfer from Blinn JC.

Oregon — Quarterback Marcus Mariota could succeed Johnny Manziel as the Heisman winner. Last year Mariota had more TD passes and fewer interceptions. While Manziel had more rushing yards and rushing TDs, Mariota’s 7.1 yards per carry surpassed Manziel’s. Ironically, they were nearly teammates. Manziel originally committed to Oregon then decided he wanted to stay closer to home and signed with Texas A&M.

I picked up the first wave of college football magazines and Colorado, as expected, is getting worse reviews than “Hansel & Gretel.” Needless to say, Linday’s Sports, USA Today College Football and Athlon Sports all pick Colorado to finish last in the Pac-12 South.

USA Today and Athlon both predict 3-9 and 1-8 records (Lindy’s doesn’t predict records but placed Colorado 93rd nationally) although they don’t say where they find the three wins and I’m very curious. Athlon went so far as to call first-year coach Mike MacIntyre’s challenge as “one of the toughest rebuilding jobs in recent BCS history.”

Lindy’s, which puts out the most thorough yearbook, summarizes in its overview: “The roster is populated with most of the same players who went 1-11 last season and were uncompetitive in most of those losses, but a completely new coaching staff is in place with new schemes and a new way of doing things. Let the learning begin.”

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.